Weapon housing system for an automatic loading firearm

Abstract

A lightweight weapon housing system is disclosed for a self-loading firearm. The weapon housing includes an outer and an inner housing. A wall structure in the weapon housing reinforces the magazine chamber and transmits the transverse forces arising in the magazine into an inner housing, which suffers any resulting deformation and which can be exchanged in a simple manner should deformation result.

What is claimed is:  
     
       1. For use with a self-loading weapon, a housing system comprising: 
       a weapon housing having at least one wall at least partially encompassing a magazine chamber; and  
       an inner housing located at least partially within the at least one wall, the inner housing at least partially encompassing at least a portion of the magazine chamber, wherein the inner housing is offset a spaced distance from the at least one wall of the weapon housing.  
     
     
       2. A housing system as defined in  claim 1 , wherein the weapon housing and the inner housing contain complementary guide strips and guide grooves which locate the inner housing within the weapon housing. 
     
     
       3. A housing system as defined in  claim 2  wherein the complementary guide strips and guide grooves are adapted to transfer forces from the weapon housing to the inner housing. 
     
     
       4. A housing system as defined in  claim 1 , wherein the inner housing includes side walls and the side walls of the inner housing extend forward to define a housing for a trigger mechanism. 
     
     
       5. A housing system as defined in  claim 1 , wherein the inner housing includes side walls, and the side walls of the inner housing extend rearward to engage the weapon housing. 
     
     
       6. A housing system as defined in  claim 1 , wherein the inner housing is plastic. 
     
     
       7. For use with a self-loading firearm having a magazine, a housing system comprising: 
       an inner housing defining a magazine chamber; and  
       an outer housing surrounding the inner housing such that forces originating at the magazine are transferred from the inner housing to the outer housing, wherein the inner housing is offset a spaced distance from the at least one wall of the outer housing.  
     
     
       8. A housing system as defined in  claim 7  wherein the inner housing is suspended within the outer housing. 
     
     
       9. A housing system as defined in  claim 7 , wherein the outer housing and the inner housing contain complementary guide strips and guide grooves which locate the inner housing within the outer housing. 
     
     
       10. A housing system as defined in  claim 7 , wherein the inner housing includes side walls and the side walls of the inner housing extend forward to define a housing for a trigger mechanism. 
     
     
       11. A housing system as defined in  claim 7 , wherein the inner housing includes side walls, and the side walls of the inner housing extend rearward to engage the outer housing. 
     
     
       12. A housing system as defined in  claim 7 , wherein the inner housing is plastic. 
     
     
       13. A housing system as defined in  claim 7  wherein the inner housing is insertable into and removable from the outer housing via a rear opening in the outer housing. 
     
     
       14. A method of constructing a self-loading firearm comprising the steps of: 
       providing an inner housing defining a magazine chamber and a weapon housing having a rear end defining an opening; and  
       positioning the inner housing within the weapon housing via the opening such that at least one force experienced by the weapon housing is transferred to the inner housing and so that damage from the at least one force occurs to the inner housing and not to the weapon housing.  
     
     
       15. A weapon housing comprising: 
       an outer housing having a rear end defining an opening;  
       an inner housing defining a magazine chamber and sized to be inserted into the outer housing via the opening.  
     
     
       16. A weapon housing comprising: 
       an outer housing;  
       an inner housing, wherein the inner housing is adapted to receive a trigger mechanism and a magazine cartridge.  
     
     
       17. For use with a self-loading firearm, a housing system comprising: 
       a magazine;  
       an inner housing defining a magazine chamber; and  
       an outer housing having a first opening for receiving at least a portion of the magazine and a second, rearwardly oriented, opening for receiving the inner housing, the outer housing being dimensioned to removably receive the inner housing via the second opening, wherein when the inner housing is removed, the magazine cannot be secured in the first opening of the outer housing.  
     
     
       18. For use with a self-loading weapon, a housing system comprising: 
       a weapon housing having at least one wall at least partially encompassing a magazine chamber; and  
       an inner housing located at least partially within the at least one wall, the inner housing at least partially encompassing at least a portion of the magazine chamber, wherein the weapon housing and the inner housing contain complementary guide strips and guide grooves which locate the inner housing within the weapon housing.  
     
     
       19. A housing system as defined in  claim 18  wherein the complementary guide strips and guide grooves are adapted to transfer forces from the weapon housing to the inner housing. 
     
     
       20. For use with a self-loading weapon, a housing system comprising: 
       a weapon housing having at least one wall at least partially encompassing a magazine chamber; and  
       an inner housing located at least partially within the at least one wall, the inner housing at least partially encompassing at least a portion of the magazine chamber, wherein the inner housing includes side walls and the side walls of the inner housing extend forward to define a housing for a trigger mechanism.  
     
     
       21. For use with a self-loading weapon, a housing system comprising: 
       a weapon housing having at least one wall at least partially encompassing a magazine chamber; and  
       an inner housing located at least partially within the at least one wall, the inner housing at least partially encompassing at least a portion of the magazine chamber, wherein the inner housing includes side walls, and the side walls of the inner housing extend rearward to engage the weapon housing.  
     
     
       22. For use with a self-loading firearm having a magazine, a housing system comprising: 
       an inner housing defining a magazine chamber; and  
       an outer housing surrounding the inner housing such that forces originating at the magazine are transferred from the inner housing to the outer housing, wherein the outer housing and the inner housing contain complementary guide strips and guide grooves which locate the inner housing within the outer housing.  
     
     
       23. For use with a self-loading firearm having a magazine, a housing system comprising: 
       an inner housing defining a magazine chamber; and  
       an outer housing surrounding the inner housing such that forces originating at the magazine are transferred from the inner housing to the outer housing, wherein the inner housing includes side walls and the side walls of the inner housing extend forward to define a housing for a trigger mechanism.  
     
     
       24. For use with a self-loading firearm having a magazine, a housing system comprising: 
       an inner housing defining a magazine chamber; and  
       an outer housing surrounding the inner housing such that forces originating at the magazine are transferred from the inner housing to the outer housing, wherein the inner housing includes side walls, and the side walls of the inner housing extend rearward to engage the outer housing.  
     
     
       25. For use with a self-loading firearm having a magazine, a housing system comprising: 
       an inner housing defining a magazine chamber; and  
       an outer housing surrounding the inner housing such that forces originating at the magazine are transferred from the inner housing to the outer housing, wherein the inner housing is insertable into and removable from the outer housing via a rear opening in the outer housing.